Letters: Turn the lights back on in Indianapolis

When did Indianapolis become the Dark City? I've lived in, or worked in Indy during every decade beginning in the 1960s, and I cannot recall it being so dark and unwelcoming as it now is. We don't live there now, residing instead in the bucolic countryside 70 miles east, so I haven't readily noticed the gloom creeping over downtown Indianapolis. It was a troubling shock last night to witness what appeared to be half the streetlights lining the spaghetti bowl are out, as well as those on most Downtown streets. This creates an inhospitable and dangerous environment, an aura of menace for visitors and an invitation to an accident or worse for pedestrians.

I realize this could be a canny strategy to conceal the miserable condition of Indianapolis' streets: if you can't see the potholes, they aren't there. It might also have been a factor in Amazon striking Indianapolis from their list of possibles for relocation consideration. The town looks like a shadow of itself at night with nearly all the lights turned out and the streets torn up.

If the city lights are turned off as a purported economy measure, I'd like to see if some metrics about crime and personal injury incidents, vehicular accidents, breaking and entering reports, plus anything Indy tourism may have to report about visitor comments of our scary city that could justify the lights out program.

Tom Butters

Greensfork

Nation has lost ability to respectfully disagree

I have never sent an email like this. However, in all the years I have been voting, I cannot remember a more vicious and hate-filled midterm election. Both parties share responsibility for this debacle. Instead of sharing their platforms with voters and explaining how they would make our nation and state better, the politicians spent all their time bashing each other. It was very frustrating and disappointing.

I suppose I should not be surprised, since this is the tone that has been set on the national level. People are threatening the president, First Lady, and their family members. People are being encouraged to harass the current administration, and confront anyone who does not share their beliefs. People are being bullied out of restaurants and other places. People have tried to break into the homes of politicians with opposing views. As a nation, we have lost the ability to respectfully disagree with one another.

This mentality is being gloried by the media and entertainment industry. There has been a picture of someone holding an image depicting the bloody head of the president, a picture of the president with a bomb in his mouth, threats of blowing up the White House, and threats to assassinate the president. Talk shows regularly demean the president and his administration, and other shows demean those who oppose the president. Athletes are kneeling and protesting the American flag and insulting some veterans who have given their lives to preserve the freedoms that allow these athletes to make millions of dollars. The media’s response is to brand these athletes as heroes.

Racial relations and immigration are understandably hot topic items, but we fail to make any meaningful progress on either front. There is a strong push to open the border to immigrants, but there are American veterans and other citizens living on the streets. The racial divide continues to be vast, and the work done by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to bring people together is a distant memory. Now, more than ever, this nation needs to come together to work to address these and other issues. However, the divide continues to grow.

I am a 70-year old woman who is concerned about the future we are creating for my children and grandchildren, as we all should be. Unfortunately, my concerns were only intensified after the recent elections. Our politicians need to remember that they are public servants who were elected to serve their constituents and not advance their own agenda or agendas of lobbyists.

Linda Christensen

Indianapolis

Punishing same-sex marriage is discrimination

It is not an error for Roncalli High School to want to follow the laws of the Catholic Church. Where the school can go wrong is to single out particular "sinful" behaviors while ignoring others. Then it becomes discrimination. Once you choose to punish same-sex marriage how can you not be forced to take the same action against staffers/employees engaged in cohabitation, extramarital sex, divorce, or birth control (just to name a few)? Roncalli will regret allowing this can of worms to be opened by an upset parent.

Mitchell Pote

Indianapolis

Programs needed to boost opportunities for women, minorities

In reading the Nov. 19 article, "Ed Department looks at women's programs," I find it intriguing that some universities are actually giving an ear to some complaints that just aren't ear-worthy. The mere fact that a few white men still do not acknowledge and see their inherent privilege that has always and still does exist in our world is privilege in and of itself. The programs that were created to help women and minorities advance and obtain opportunities and equality are still needed now and likely will be needed well into our foreseeable future. And yes, these programs do need to still be in place to the exclusion of white men. The white men who do not understand why these policies are in place should focus more of their efforts on working hard and improving themselves so they can compete better against women and minority candidates, instead of feeling like the odds are against them and passing blame for their own shortcomings. I assure you, even with special programs for women and minorities, the odds are still and ever will be against them.

Leslie Brooks

Indianapolis

Carson's relationship with Farrakhan does not represent Hoosiers

In the aftermath of the recent midterm elections, I'm left scratching my head as to why Andre Carson was again reelected to represent Hoosiers from the 7th District in the United States House of Representatives.

In this hyper-sensitive, hyper-politicized environment, in which seemingly, every comment any public figure makes is scrutinized, dissected, and every nuance regarded, and literally each and every misspoken word pulled up and amplified over the liberal news and social media, it is unfathomable to me that the adamant refusal of Carson to distance himself from, and denounce the highly volatile and hate-filled anti-Semitic rhetoric of his good friend, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has not been addressed.

Just recently, another anti-Semite, shot up a Synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 innocents, and wounding multiple others, before being wounded and taken into custody. The suspect allegedly screamed his hate for Jews as he savagely murdered the unarmed innocents he targeted, fueled by his racial hatred. How much do anti-Semites like Farrakhan embolden those like the suspect in this shooting to act upon the evil urges of their hearts? How much more so does the open endorsement of a high profile anti-Semite like Farrakhan by Carson embolden the both of them?

Hoosiers have begun to clamor for a so called “hate-crimes” law, in order they say, to appropriately punish those who commit certain crimes against others based on an interpretation of the motivation of their hearts to commit these crimes. Where is the Hoosier outrage over not just the lack of Carson to openly and harshly condemn Louis Farrakhan and distance himself and his office from him, but for Carson to smirk on video when asked about it, and clearly state, he has not, and will not condemn Farrakhan or cease his friendship and public association with him?

It is not only immoral and offensive for a U.S. representative to endorse anti-Semitism, but is soils the office, infers that government endorses anti-Semitism, and is an affront to each and every good, decent Hoosier and American citizen. Carson and his office have been defiantly silent, hoping this issue will be ignored and forgotten about, but their silence only further reinforces and highlights the refusal to do the right and proper thing, and denounce Farrakhan, Carson’s friendship with him, and to keep an ongoing and public conversation of condemnation of anti-Semitism. Carson believes he is above the moral imperative to condemn hatred and evil whenever and wherever it is found.

Gregory Russell

Indianapolis

Trump's election travel costs taxpayers

With the midterm elections over, I would like to know how many millions and millions of dollars it cost us, the taxpayers, for all the traveling President Donald Trump did to help his fellow Republicans get elected, and to help keep him in office. He had planned on traveling at least 40 days. In those 40 days, what did it cost the taxpayers for the Secret Service, who have to travel with him, the extra local security needed at each location, having to fly his bullet-proof limo to each location where he would be traveling by car, and the Secret Service SUVs that also have to go with the president’s limo? If Trump did travel 40 days to campaign for those who love him, how much did it cost us, the American taxpayer, and why are our taxes being used for Trump’s personal gain?